This article was originally posted on ProBlogger on April 22, 2011.
Facebook has taken the Web by storm in a very short period. In addition to being the highest ranking social networking site, it is the second most visited site in the world according to Alexa, the popular blog measuring tool. Facebook’s popularity is so great that it unseated Google as the king of the Web one day in 2010.
Even though Facebook offer relationships, fun, and exposure, following are five reasons why I think your self-hosted blog is more valuable than your Facebook Page.
1. You can control your own media and space
You have limited control on Facebook. You have access to the profiles and pages you create, but having access isn’t the same as ownership. And your design options are minimal. Your blog, on the other hand, is your space to do what you want, when you want, how you want. From design to set up to content.
I recall a time when Facebook sent a message to their millions of members informing them of content ownership. Apparently, anything shared on Facebook belonged to them. After loads of protests and opposition, the social networking giant backed down. I am not convinced.
Generally speaking, if you do not own something, you cannot control it. If Facebook shuts down or suspends your account, you will not have access to the content you entered. Thus, your self-hosted site is definitely a better option for media creation.
2. You can reach a very targeted group
People who sign up to receive your blog updates tend to be most interested in the content you provide. It is more likely that this group will convert to loyal followers. You can have all the fans you want on Facebook, but if those people are not taking interest in what you share on your blog, all you have is a big remote fan base on someone else’s site.
3. You have the chance to get paid for advertisements
On Facebook, you have to pay to get your message to your targeted group. On your blog, people have to pay you to get their message across to your audience. Because you control the site, you determine the type of ads you want, how long you are going to let them run and how much they should cost.
4. You can rank high on Google
If someone conducts a Google search on your name or company, your Facebook pages may appear within the top five search results. That’s impressive.
However, if you blog quality content consistently, your site will also rank within the top five—or at least on the first page. Even if your self-hosted site appears below your Facebook page in the search results, at least you own the site.
5. Everybody is not on Facebook
Some people may never join Facebook; others are leaving. Even with these transitions, people will always have access to your blog. You don’t want to alienate people who are likely to support you just because they’re not on Facebook.
Above are five reasons why I think your self-hosted blog is better than your Facebook Page. Use Facebook as a means to an end—not as an end in itself. Use it to make contacts and drive traffic back to the site you own and control.
Remember, if you don’t own it, you can’t control. And you will never own Facebook.